Shooting gallery with target ball supported on a column of air

ABSTRACT

A shooting gallery having a bottom member with the upper surface thereof sloping toward an opening therein. A moving stream of air is directed upwardly through the opening and a light weight spherical body moves upwardly with the air and floats thereon to provide a floating target until struck by shot and moved out of the path of movement of the stream of air. A flexible sheet is supported at a side of the target and extends across the path of movement of shot after passing target so that shot are deflected onto the downwardly sloping surface. A deflector member extends upwardly and inwardly from at least one edge, of the opening to an elevation above the opening to impart upward and inward movement to the spherical body.

Mar. 4, 1975 I SHOOTING GALLERY WITII TARGET BALL SUPPORTED ON A COLUMN OF AIR Inventor:

Assignees: Hugh P. Carter, Jr.; Woodford R.

Thompson, Jr., both of Birmingham, Ala. part interest to each Filed: June 28, 1973 Appl. No.: 374,472

US. Cl. 273/105.2, 273/95 C Int. Cl F41j 1/14 Field ofSearch 273/95 C, 102 R, 102.4,

References Cited I UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,477,724 11/1969 Wilcox ..273/102.4 3.491829 2/1970 Booth 273/102.4

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 599,930 6/1934 Germany 273/95 C 22,013 1893 Great Britain 273/102.4

Bobby L. McDaniel, Columbus, Ga.

Primary E.raminerRichard C. Pinkham Assistant E.raminer-Marvin Siskind Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Jennings, Carter &

Thompson [57] ABSTRACT A shooting gallery having a bottom member with the upper surface thereof sloping toward an opening therein. A moving stream of air is directed upwardly through the opening and a light weight spherical body moves upwardly with the air and floats thereon to provide a floating target until struck by shot and moved out of the path of movement of the stream of air. A flexible sheet is supported at a side of the target and extends across the path of movement of shot after passing target so that shot are deflected onto the downwardly sloping surface. A deflector member extends upwardly and inwardly from at least one edge, of the opening to an elevation above the opening to impart upward and inward movement to the spherical body.

1 Claim, 4 Drawing Figures SHOOTING GALLERY wmr TARGET BA-LL SUPPORTED ONACOLUM-N OF AIR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a shooting gallery and more particularly to such a gallery for rifles and the like which shoot shot at a relatively low velocity, such as air rifles, pelletgunsand the like.

Heretofore in the art to which myin-v'ention relates, a considerable amount of time has been consumed in replacingthe target, thus requiring the person operating the gun to travel back and forth between the target and shooting position, which preferably ranges from fifteen to twenty feet. Not only must the target be inspected and replaced periodically, but;means must be provided for supporting the target.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with my invention, I provide a shooting gallery having a bottom member with an opening therein inwardly of the edges and with the upper surface of the bottom member sloping toward the opening. A moving stream of air is directed upwardly through the opening whereby the air moves to an elevation above the bottom member. The target is in the form of a light, spherical body of a weight to move upwardly with the stream of air and float thereon above the bottom member. A deflector member extends upwardly and inwardly from an edge of the opening and imparts upward and inward movement to the spherical body. Movement of the shot is stopped by a flexible sheet which is supported at the rear side of the floating target and extends across the path of movement of the shot after passing the target. An opening through the flexible sheet receives the target or the target and the shot both may travel down the sloping bottom toward the opening whereby the target is again directed upwardly by the deflector member and the moving stream of air with the shot passing into a suitable collecting member.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING A shooting gallery embodying features of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this application, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of my shooting gallery;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmental view showing the deflector member for the target and the discharge means for the shot; and,

FIG. 4 is a fragmental view taken generally along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

Referring now to the drawings for a better understanding of my invention. I show a cabinet having an opening 11 in the front thereof which may be closed by generally along the formed of a suitable fabric or is covered by a suitable material such as billiard cloth.

As shown in FIG. 3, the annular flange 18 is positioned between an annular member 19 and the inner surface of a passageway 21 provided in a transverse support member 22. Extending upwardly and inwardly from opposite sides of the opening 16 is a deflector member 23 having a convex upper surface in position to engage a target 24 in the form of a light weight spherical body.

Projecting upwardly beneath the bottom member 13 is a conduit 26 which terminates adjacent the opening I 16 in position to supply and direct a moving stream of doors 12. A bottom member 13 extends across the cabinet 10 and has upper surface 14 which slopes inwardly toward an opening 16 provided in the bottom member 13. The outer edges of the bottom member 13 are se cured to the inner surface of the cabinet 10 by periph eral support members 17. The lower portion of the bot" tom member 13 is provided with a depending annular flange 18 which surrounds the opening 16 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The bottom member 13 is preferably air upwardly through the opening 16 whereby the air moves to an elevation above the bottom member 13. The receiving end of the conduit 26 communicates with ablower unit 27 whereby air under pressure is discharged adjacent the upper end of the conduit 26. The blower unit 27 is provided with a housing having an arcuace portion 28 which extends downwardly and then laterally, as shown in FIG. 3. A passageway 29 is provided in the bottom of the housing of the blower unit 27 for receiving shot 31 which pass downwardly through opening 16. A screen 32 extends downwardly across the discharge portion of conduit 26 in position to deflect the shot 31 whereby they follow the arcuate portion 28 of the blower housing and then pass through the discharge opening 29 into a drawer 33. Accordingly, the shot do not engage the moving parts of the blower.

As shown in FIG. 2,the target is of a light weight and moves upwardly with the stream of'air discharged from conduit 26 and floats on the column of air at an elevation above the bottom member 13 to provide a floating target. The ball 24 is of a size not to 7ass s5tween 3he deflector 4ember 23 lnd 3he annular member 19.

As shown in FIG. 2, the cabinet 10 is provided with a rear wall 34, a top wall 36 and side walls 37. A flexible sheet 38 is supported at the rear side of the floating target 24 and extends across the path of movement of the shot after the shot passes the target. The flexible sheet 38 is connected adjacent opposite edges thereof to the rear portion of the top wall 36 to provide a length .of fabric which is greater than the distance between the attached ends of the sheet 38. Accordingly, as air is forced upwardly from the conduit 26 and passes out the opening 16, the sheet of material 38 is drawn toward the target 24 whereby the flexible sheet 38 is spaced from the rear wall 34. As the shot. strikes the flexible sheet 38, the portion of the sheet engaged by the shot moves rearwardly to absorb the shock whereby the shot falls onto the sloping bottom member 13.

An opening 39 is provided through the sheet 38 adjacent the elevation the target 24 is supported so that the target may be forced through the opening 39 when the shot strikes the target at the proper location. As shown in FIG. 2, the lower end of the sheet 38 terminates above the bottom member 13 a distance less than the diameter of the target 24 whereby the target remains behind the sheet until the lower end thereof is elevated a distance to remove the target.

From the foregoing description, the operation of my improved shooting gallery will be readily understood. Air under pressure is forced upwardly through the conduit 26 by the blower unit 27 whereby a continuous column of air movesabove the bottom member 13 and is discharged through the opening 16. The balHike tarabove the conduit 26 and bottom member 13. As the moving column of air moves upwardly past the flexible sheet 38, the flexible sheet is drawn inwardly to the position shown in FIG. 2 whereby it moves toward the target 24 and away from the rear wall 34 to provide a space between the sheet 38 and the rear wall. As a person shoots at the target 24, the shot engage the sheet 38 after passing the target 24 whereupon the portion of the sheet 38 engaged by the shot moves rearwardly toward the rear wall to thus absorb the shock and permit the shot to fall onto the sloping bottom wall 13. The shot then move down the bottom wall to the opening 16 and are finally discharged through opening 29 to the receptacle or drawer 33.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that I have devised an improved shooting gallery. By providing a downwardly and inwardly inclined upper surface for the bottom member 13, the target ball 24 moves downwardly toward the discharge end of the conduit 26 and the deflector 23 each time it is forced out of the stream of air which supports the target ball. That is, when the target ball is knocked out of the supporting air stream, it falls onto the bottom member 13 whereupon it is then conveyed to the discharge endlof conduit 26 and is deflected back into the air stream by deflector 23 whereby it is again floated thereon to provide a target.

tacle, such as receptacle 33. Furthermore, by supporting the ball target by a continuously moving column of air, the ball automatically floats in proper position to provide a target each time the ball rolls down the inclined upper surface of the bottom member, thus eliminating the necessity of having to replace the target or check the target after each shot.

While I have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various other changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof.

What I claim .is:

l. A shooting gallery comprising:

a. a bottom member having an opening therein inwardly of the edges thereof and an inwardly and downwardly sloping upper surface which slopes toward said opening,

b. means supplying and directing a moving stream of air upwardly through said opening at a velocity to move to an elevation above said bottom member,

0. a lightweight spherical target of a weight to move upwardly with said stream of air and float thereon above said bottom member to provide a floating target until struck by shot and moved out of the path of movement of said stream of air,

d. a deflector member extending upwardly and inwardly from at least one edge of said opening to an elevation above said opening in position to impart upward and inward movement to said target so that a target moving down said inwardly sloping upper surface moves into said moving stream of air.

e. an upstanding flexible sheet attached ajdacent opposite edges thereof to supports at a side of said floating target and extending across the path of movement of shot after passing said target with the length of said sheet being greater than the distance between said supports with the intermediate portion of said sheet being drawn toward said floating target by the upwardly moving stream of air so that shot are deflected downwardly onto said inwardly sloping upper surface and then move into said opening, and

. there being an opening through said flexible sheet for receiving said target. 

1. A shooting gallery comprising: a. a bottom member having an opening therein inwardly of the edges thereof and an inwardly and downwardly sloping upper surface which slopes toward said opening, b. means supplying and directing a moving stream of air upwardly through said opening at a velocity to move to an elevation above said bottom member, c. a lightweight spherical target of a weight to move upwardly with said stream of air and float thereon above said bottom member to provide a floating target until struck by shot and moved out of the path of movement of said stream of air, d. a deflector member extending upwardly and inwardly from at least one edge of said opening to an elevation above said opening in position to impart upward and inward movement to said target so that a target moving down said inwardly sloping upper surface moves into said moving stream of air, e. an upstanding flexible sheet attached ajdacent opposite edges thereof to supports at a side of said floating target and extending across the path of movement of shot after passing said target with the length of said sheet being greater than the distance between said supports with the intermediate portion of said sheet being drawn toward said floating target by the upwardly moving stream of air so that shot are deflected downwardly onto said inwardly sloping upper surface and then move into said opening, and f. there being an opening through said flexible sheet for receiving said target. 